Brandt Snedeker kept his head in windy conditions to open up a three-shot lead midway through the third round of the Fiji International.
The American came into Saturday one shot off the top of the leaderboard but while many of his rivals dropped shots on a tough day of scoring at Natadola Bay Golf Course, Snedeker turned in 35 to get to 11 under.
The 35 year old arrived in Fiji off the back of playing a vital role in helping the United States beat Europe 17-11 in the Ryder Cup and is looking to be the second consecutive American winner at this event after Hazeltine team-mate Matt Kuchar claimed victory last season.
Australian duo Matthew Giles and Anthony Houston were at eight under, a shot clear of Matthew Griffin, Gareth Paddison and Aaron Pike.
Giles had entered the day with a one-shot lead but that was gone on the first hole as he recorded a bogey to make it a three-way tie at ten under.
Countryman Houston then dropped a shot on the second to move to nine under, just one shot clear of PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit leader Griffin, who had birdied the first and third.
A bounceback birdie on the third saw Houston rejoin the lead in quick fashion before a second bogey of the day from Giles dropped him into third.
New Zealander Paddison had set a new course record of 64 on Friday and he birdied the first, fifth, sixth and seventh to turn in 32 and join Griffin at eight under.
While Snedeker made seven straight pars, his nearest rivals continued to drop back, with a Houston bogey on the sixth handing him the lead on his own.
Griffin then bogeyed the seventh and Paddison dropped a shot on the tenth, with Giles bogeying the eighth to make it an eagle, a birdie and a bogey on that hole for the 27 year old this week.
A two-shot swing then followed on the ninth, with Houston making a bogey and Snedeker a first gain of the day to take his bogey-free run to 43 holes.
Pike was level par for his round at the turn to sit a shot ahead of Michael Hendry, Brett Rankin and Josh Younger.
